


Memories

by TheDyingMoon



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Anxiety, Apocalypse, Art, Betrayal, Break Up, Demonic Possession, Depression, Disturbing Themes, Explicit Language, F/M, Hopeful Ending, Horror, Letters, Memories, Murder, Photography, Redemption, Scrapbooks, Self-Acceptance, Suicide Attempt, Trauma, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:01:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22249834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDyingMoon/pseuds/TheDyingMoon
Summary: ~ A V X OC set in an Alternate Universe.~ All it takes,... is one huge leap of faith.
Relationships: V (Devil May Cry)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. Prologue - Letting Go

His long fingers grazed the white knitted scarf around his neck, the scent of her cheap cologne still lingering on it. In fact, he could still hear her voice minutes after she bid farewell.

And just like that, he also said goodbye.

_I must go after her._ _She doesn't deserve this._ His heart whispered. _No, stay where you are._ _You don't deserve her._ His head retorted.

But, it doesn't matter now, right? She left behind the scarf she made for him. She even left her scent on it. She said farewell, and he allowed it. He didn't do anything to make her stay. He even said goodbye.

How did they end up like this? When did all of this start?

Were they friends? Were they more than that? Or even less?


	2. Morrison's Letter

Nobody seems to remember exactly what happened yesterday during what could probably be considered as the strongest storm the world has ever seen, considering the fact that this calamity almost brought about what could easily be considered as the Apocalypse, as we know it. They don’t even remember how it abruptly and mysteriously stopped, how the winds calmed down, how the devastating rain ceased, and how the sky became clear once more.

But, I remember every single detail about this otherworldly calamity. And I’ am going to write everything I know about it, what caused it, and what stopped it.

Somehow, everything started with a girl by the name of [Mary Suermann](https://la-vita.tumblr.com/post/189647630521/oc-portrait-commission-for-thedyingmoon). Unlike some of the people I know, she’s quite ordinary. One might even say she’s easily forgettable. She’s as normal as any person can be. She doesn’t have any special abilities unlike Dante, Trish, or even Lady. She doesn’t have any skill with Demon hunting, and she definitely doesn’t have experience fighting these evil creatures. In fact, no one knew exactly who she is, except for the fact that she is, was, affiliated with the Devil May Cry Fortuna branch, with Nicoletta Goldstein, to be exact.

How did the Artisan and the young Devil Hunter meet her? How was she connected to these chain of events that set these strange occurrences in motion? And most importantly, how was she, a normal human being without any skill or power, able to stop such a thing as the End of The World?

***

_End of first letter._

***


	3. i

_**Fragment** _

_Click._

There. He heard it.

_Click._

He heard it once more.

_Click._

There it is again!

"V!" The demonic familiar screamed. "Watch out!"

The warning came too late when one of the full - grown parasite’s snake - like heads hit V right in his stomach, throwing him across the messy, and thankfully deserted, marketplace.

Groaning in pain, the tattooed poet did his best to get up despite his fragile form and fight once more alongside his familiars to bring the unspeakable thing down. One strong attack after another, the poet's beasts finally managed to reduce the parasite into its most vulnerable form, making it weak against one _final attack_ , which, of course, must be dealt by him.

Throwing his cane to the weakened Demon ( _click!_ ) and using his ability to teleport, he instantly vanished and materialized in mid air right before the enemy ( _click!_ ), making it even more confused than before this unexpected battle began.

His eyebrows twitching in annoyance when he heard that clicking noise again, he grabbed his metal cane, raised it high above his head, and pierced the enemy's chest with it.

"The cut worm,... forgives the plow." The poet quoted and smirked, relishing the satisfying feeling of the metal cane on his hands, piercing the pulsating flesh of the unknown Demon. "What do you say?" And with one final sadistic push of the cane deep into its flesh, the enemy finally took its last breath and disintegrated into nothingness, just like what always happens to the unlucky Demons who found themselves at V's mercy.

_Click!_

And just like those nasty Demons, this one left a fair amount of funk in the air that assaulted V's nostrils. More than necessary, in fact. This one really left an _impression_.

"V." Griffon whispered as he landed on his master's waiting arm. "I found the culprit."

"Where?"

"Behind that stall!" The bird pointed with his wing.

Eyes dangerously narrowed, he took a deep breath, and threw his cane. And the moment he grabbed it, he vanished once more into thin air.

And when he materialized once to where Griffon directed him, he heard an unmistakable little yelp as the culprit, who was, indeed, the source of those annoying clicking sounds, was finally caught.

And those annoying clicking sounds that distracted him more than once during the fight? It was a camera, after all!

The _**chit**_ has been taking pictures of him fighting that Demon!

Forcefully taking the camera from the culprit's trembling hands, he directed his threatening, jade gaze at her, and it seemed to work really well.

"Are you the one who summoned the parasite to this world?" His low voice laced with threat and poison, V carefully asked the little blonde female, who was positively cowering in fear before his tall frame.

"Yeah, start talkin', lil' bitch, or I'll fry ya where ya sit!" Griffon added his ear - piercing threat.

The blonde's _green eyes_ widened. She shook her head as she tried to cover her head in fright. " _Summoned_? I can't do that! I swear!"

"V, SHE'S LYIN'!" Griffon squawked angrily, making her even more frightened.

And this pushed V a little off balance. She,… seemed to be saying the truth. "What is your proof?"

"I,... ah,..." The blonde stuttered. Pointing at the camera, she said, "It's my job to take photos of Demons. I swear I didn't summon it! Please, believe me!"

"Do ya honestly believe this bitch?" Griffon asked V as he watched how the poet's facial expression soften but, only a bit. He's still suspicious of this female, after all.

"No but, let's have an agreement, shall we?" He declared, his attention fully focused on her. "Tell your boss to stop sending you to life - threatening commissions. Do you have,... any idea,... that this,... _stupidity_ ,... would cost you your own life?"

The female gulped nervously, her large eyes focused on his. She did not, or cannot, answer, and this irked V even more.

"No? Then, let this be a lesson to you. Stop chasing after such,... dangerous creatures,... and I will let this pass. That is for your own sake, believe me."

Satisfied to see the female nodding in agreement, he answered, "Good." Then, looking at the camera in his hands, he added, "Then, I shall give this back to you."

"T - thank you!" The female expressed her heartfelt gratitude with a relieved smile but, when she was about to take it from V, the man let it fall to the ground, and before she could even retrieve it, the man crushed it beneath his foot.

"That settles it." V murmured as he walked away from the female, hoping to not see those startling green eyes of hers, or that annoying camera, ever again.

"Haha! Couldn't agree more." Griffon jabbed.

_**Shard** _

_"Who did this?" The teacher questioned as he showed the whole class a single report sheet with a big red F mark written on it. And, oh, how mad he looked! Those veins popping from his forehead! That left fist clenched and ready to take down the culprit! "Who. DID THIS?"_

_And lo and behold, from the sea of frightened faces rose a single, tiny hand that trembled._   
_Tiny and trembling, and yet bold and daring._

_"It was me, sir." The little girl squeaked and stood, frightened beyond her wits but determined to the bone to face the lion before her._

_"SUERMANN!" The teacher growled, making the students gasp in fear. The balding adult closed his eyes, his lips spouting silent curses, and his fists clenching to restrain his anger. He opened his eyes and took out something from his drawer - a long piece of thin, flat wood._

_THE long piece of thin, flat wood._

_Nodding at the little girl with the feared device on his hand, he instructed, "Come here."_

_It took the little girl a whole minute to process what's going on, and when she and the rest of the class heard the awful sound of their angry teacher slamming the desk with his large palm, she jolted in attention._

_"I said, COME HERE, YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT!"_

_The little girl came forward as she was told, knowing all too well what would happen to her. She stopped right before the adult and looked up, feeling as if her life would end right then and there._

_It did not, fortunately. But, she did end up having bruised hands later after school. And, oh God, it hurts! It hurts so, so much!_

_"Mary!" Her best friend called, catching up to her. "Mary, I'm so sorry! I must be the one who's punished, not you!"_

_Mary smiled at her best friend and shook her head. "It's okay. I can't let that man hurt you."_

_"Oh, Mary!" Her best friend cried as she saw the ugly bruises on Mary's hands. "I'm so weak! I shouldn't have listened to them when they told me to write on Mr. Burns' papers. But, I had to because they're gonna tell the whole school I'm adopted!"_

_Mary sighed and shook her head. Why are there such bad people living in this world?! And why do they keep torturing the weak?!_

_"Forget it, Vanessa. I'm here, and I'll protect you from those bullies!" Mary told her with a brave smile as she hid her hands behind her back._

_"Thank you, Mary!" Vanessa cried as she threw herself at her best friend and gave her a big hug._

_And that's how Mary Suermann came to hate Mr. Burns, his thin piece of flat wood, and those bullies who forced her best friend to vandalize on the teacher’s precious report papers._

**_Glitter_ **

"Thanks for pitchin' in, man!" The freckled woman with glasses patted V on the shoulder. Wearing a huge grin of success on her face, she added, "I knew I could count on ya."

"Where is your partner, if I may ask?" The poet questioned as he took a seat on one of the chairs inside the woman's spacious, and yet messy, trailer.

"Oh, Nero? Heh. Bet he's gettin' his ass kicked real good,..."

"Says who?" The man called Nero, himself, interrupted just in time when he opened the door and let himself in. And he clearly looked like he got his rear side kicked real good, just like what the woman said. From V’s fair perspective, Nero looked like someone who could face a horde of Demons with a smile on his face and still come out victorious. After all, his posture and his overall appearance said so.

Then, again, appearances could be deceiving. And V knew that very well. 

"Whatever." The woman answered, rolled her eyes, and lit a cigarette. "Oh. This is V. V, this is Nero, my partner."

"Hey, man." Nero greeted with a nod.

"It's a pleasure." V simply answered without too much of a fuss.

"Same." Nero nodded, and with a disgruntled expression on his face, he opened the door to let the cigarette smoke out and kicked the sofa where his partner was sitting. "Got any leads?"

"Hmm, aside from the single fact that these Demons just keep poppin' outta thin air, nothin'!"

"Nothing? Not anything?"

"I told ya!" The woman answered. Facing the poet, she then said, "How about you, V? Any leads?"

"That Demon," V answered. " ... it's a parasite called _**Nidhogg**_. I believe it latches on _**Qliphoth**_ roots to sustain itself."

"Qliphoth?" The woman and Nero spoke almost simultaneously.

"It's a demonic tree that thrives on human blood." V explained. "And I found it,... quite baffling to encounter such a creature when there are no,... Qliphoth roots around."

"Great. Now, I'm even more confused." Nero muttered as he waved the cigarette smoke off his nose. "And it already smells like ass in here."

"That's you!" The woman retorted. Looking outside through the window, she spoke in a lower voice, "Ah, she's late."

Nero's eyebrows shot upwards in attention as he moved a bit away from the door.

And the person who entered the trailer made V's own eyebrows shot up to his hairline.

"I'm sorry, Nico, there's - "

The blonde stopped talking abruptly when she saw the mysterious man who crushed her camera sitting on the chair across her boss!

_What is he doing here?!_

_Unless - !_

"What is it?" The woman named Nico, who was unaware of what happened between the blonde and her friend V, asked as she looked up at her, a bit excited to know what news she brought for all of them. "Oh! Oh! Before I forget," Nodding at V, she said, "This is V, my good friend from Red Grave City. He's that other one I called to help with our investigation. Ya know! The one I told ya about last night!" And with a proud smile on her face, she stood up and roughly brought her hand down on the little blonde's shoulder, a thing she enjoyed doing just because she's small compared to her. "V, this is Mary, my assistant. And friend."

"Guys, I'll just call Kyrie." Nero spoke as he took his cellphone from his pocket and made his way out of the trailer. And nobody even noticed him.

"So! Got any leads for us, girl?" Nico asked, waiting for Mary to speak.

"I,... ah,... " Her nerves betraying her and getting the better of her, she took out the broken camera from her large We Bare Bears handbag and handed it to Nico. "I'm,... sorry,... about that."

"GIRL, WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS?!" Nico, whose eyes got as wide as saucers, freaked out as she held the broken thing on her hands.

"Well, I'm - " Mary began, seeing the look of utter horror on V's face at the corner of her eye. He just,... didn't expect things to turn out like this.

**_Who knew that chit worked for Nico?!_ **

"WELL?" Nico screamed hysterically.

_Oh, dear,_ V thought helplessly, deciding whether to, at least, save the girl from being fired, or not.

Then, something happened that he never expected.

Mary,... the little blonde chit,... smiled.

She **_smiled_**!

"I'm a klutz, right?" Mary squeaked with a nervous little laugh.

"This thing is OLD! You should've fixed your clumsiness a long time ago!" Nico scolded the blonde.

And to this, Mary just scratched the back of her head. "I'm sorry. I really do. But, hey! I can show you what that Demon - thing looks like - "

Nico growled, cutting her off and making her way to the back of the trailer to fix her grandmother's camera.

V's eyes widened in disbelief.

_Why,..._ he thought as his eyes focused on the girl, who looked more relieved than worried. _Would she cover for me like that?!_


	4. ***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contained scenes of extreme violence, murder, disturbing imagery, and strong language. All names mentioned and the incident portrayed in this chapter are purely fictitious, and should never be compared to any and all real life people and occurrences. Also, this part is not recommended for younger viewers and readers. You have been warned. Please proceed with utter caution. Thank you.

***

"I said, COME HERE, YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT!"

Roger waited for the little girl to come forward, the thin piece of flat wood on his hand, slapping his other palm with it.

To Roger Burns, all misbehaving children must be punished. All mischievous children must be taught a lesson. And he's more than willing to bring order into this child - infested world through any means necessary.

The blonde thing stopped right before him, her hands tucked neatly behind her. Clearly a ruse to make Roger think she's innocent!

But, he would not have any of her bullshit. He will punish her!

His patience almost snapping, he grabbed a fistful of the little girl's light - colored hair and made her look up at him.

"YOU, DISRESPECTFUL RUNT - !"

Roger stopped, startled and horrified at what he just saw. Huge eyes as red as blood, skeletal and gray hollow cheeks, black thin lips, and mouth full of maggots,...

...the girl looked as if she was rotting,...

*

Roger's eyes snapped open as he abruptly sat up. His heart racing, beads of sweat trickling down his forehead, and his whole body trembling, he was more than glad he was only having a really bad dream. 

Covering his eyes with his hands and rubbing them to rid himself of the gruesome image he saw in the dream, he gave out a low, almost rumbling sound of a throaty chuckle as he reminded himself that no one could, or has the ability, to hurt or haunt him.

Feeling the dryness in his throat, he got up from his bed and made his way out of his room to the kitchen to fetch himself a glass of water. Hearing nothing but the heavy sounds his feet made against the immaculate marble floor, he opened the fridge and took out a carton of milk. Closing the door of the fridge, he walked towards the nearest chair, sat, and started drinking,...

He coughed and spat, feeling the awful taste of the milk clinging onto his taste buds.

Has the thing already gone bad? He only purchased it yesterday!

Roger looked at the carton and read the expiration date indicated on it with squinted eyes. 15 June 2019. Still a month to go.

No, no. Maybe his mind was just playing tricks on him. Maybe he was still not fully awake from that awful dream. He shook his head and had another go at the milk,...

... and this time, he almost threw up.

Covering his mouth with his other hand, he strode towards the kitchen sink, upended the carton,...

... and saw thick crimson liquid coming from it.

And that awful smell and taste,...

 _Blood_ ,...

Emptying his stomach of the thick substance ( and his dinner ) to the already bloody sink, his mind went to all directions in fright. Who could have done this sick practical joke to him? He doesn't have any enemies! He treated everyone with respect! Helped his colleagues in their times of need! Reared and produced the best students the campus has ever seen - !

 _Those students_ ,...

NO! It can't be! They can't hurt him or play tricks like this on him!

His frantic mind going in circles, conjuring up different scenarios and plots that could've led to all of this, he ran towards his fridge and opened it once more. He took a can of soda, opened it, and drank,...

... only to taste more of that awful substance.

Throwing the can and spilling its horrible contents all over the once clean floor, he grabbed a bottle of purified water, opened it, and downed its contents,...

... _more blood_.

Dropping the bottle on the floor, he turned to the fridge once more,...

... and found several body parts on it in different kinds of clear containers plates. His pitcher now has ears in it swimming in blood, some bottles of water ( now blood ) contained little fingers, the gelatin he made the other day now has a nose in it, there even was a barbecued toe on the second shelf! Hell, everywhere he looked, there were body parts stored in a sick but orderly fashion!

Then, all of a sudden, he heard a little voice just behind him.

"Teacher,... ?"

He knew that voice,...

Roger turned around and saw a group of pale little children staring up at him, their eye sockets dark, and their skin as white as death.

"Why did you cut off my ears?" A little girl he remembered as Jessica Parsons asked him, the sides of her head where her ears supposedly were dripping with blood.

_That pitcher with the ears,..._

"Teacher, I can't write anymore!" Wailed a boy named Brian Holloway, showing him his hands that now looked like stubs due to the absence of fingers.

_Those water bottles with the fingers,..._

"Teacher, I can't breathe!" Said a boy named Robert Jenkins, his face too horrifyingly bloody to look at.

_That nose in the gelatin,..._

"Teacher, why do I feel like I'm gonna fall?" A little girl he only knew as Marina the poor hillbilly's kid asked him, her bloody feet staining his floor even more.

_The barbecued toes,..._

Then, all at once, he remembered everything. How he chopped Jessica's ears because she brought a toy at class, how he cut off Brian's fingers because they always looked filthy, how he bludgeoned Robert's nose with a hardbound book because he was reading comics during lecture, and how he burned Marina's toes just because they smelled awful,...

But, them standing right before him like this? Impossible!

"IM - POSSIBLE!" Roger cried, his legs turning into jelly. "I,... I,... **_KILLED_** YOU! Y - YOU CAN'T HURT ME! G - GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE, Y - YOU,... **_LITTLE DEMONS_**!"

At those last two words that came out of his mouth, the little children began giggling, the haunting sounds gradually drowning out everything else from Roger's mind. He collapsed, closed his eyes, and covered his ears, praying for this waking nightmare to end.

Then, everything went silent as the dead of the night. Even the horrible smell of blood was gone. He opened his eyes and realized that the little children were gone, as well.

_Is that it? Is the nightmare over?_

"Teacher,..." Came a very familiar voice that penetrated through the silence. He looked up and saw that same little girl with blonde hair from his nightmare. Her head was bowed down low as she looked at her hands that were stained and dripping with blood. "Why,... did you hit me?"

That voice, those wounds on her hands, the color of her hair,...

Roger remembered her! She's -

"Mary?" He uttered the name in fright, and when the little girl looked up, his sight was blinded by the sudden lightning that struck the dark and bleary evening sky. And when the sound of thunder boomed all over the place and rang in his ears, he finally saw the face of the innocent girl he hit a very long time ago. In fact, she was fortunate she wasn't able to attend one of his _tea parties_ for _special students_.

But now, as she stood before him, he couldn't help but curse himself for not killing her that one afternoon.

Her angelic face slowly morphing to look exactly like the one he saw in the dream, the girl said, "You hurt me." And with a sadistic, open mouthed smile that allowed the same fat maggots fall from it to the floor, she added, "And you will pay."

As another streak of lightning painted the sky, Roger felt a hand go forcefully down on his trembling shoulder. And when the sound of thunder finally deafened his already bleeding ears, he turned around, and saw,...

***


	5. Morrison's Letter

I met Mary for the first time that afternoon of June 16, 2019. I admit I was not that interested on the news I saw on the paper that day, about the death of a man named Roger Burns, and the unsolved mysteries surrounding his death. Sure, people die, under mysterious circumstances or no, that's totally not an issue. What really piqued my interest was this strange girl, Mary, herself. Apparently, she has some sort of past connection to this late teacher I cannot grasp or wrap my head around. Said she used to attend his classes but then, had to drop out because of some form of maltreatment that the school refused to take responsibility for.

But, no. That’s not all. I knew deep in my guts that there was something else there, with the way she reacted to his death, to the way she was about to reveal something but refused at the very last second. Maybe she was only conscious of others' presence, or she's just the type of person who doesn't really "talk" about things thoroughly.

I knew only one thing for sure: Roger Burns' death, the mysteries surrounding it, and the many deaths that followed - they're all connected. They're all directly, or indirectly, caused by Mary, herself. I was not sure how but, further investigations regarding the matter has only proven my claim.

Mary, somehow, caused all of this.

***

_End of second letter._

***


	6. ii

_**Fragment** _

"I'll be home soon, Kyrie. I promise. Okay." Nero placed his cellphone back to his pocket just in time to see Nico's mysterious black - haired friend glancing at something outside the window of the trailer.

"See something you like?" The young Devil Hunter asked, his eyebrows knitted in confusion at the way the man stared.

"She has been at it for almost an hour and a half,..." The man answered with a low voice.

"I told ya, don't mind what she does." Nico, who was fixing the broken camera at the back of the trailer where her messy workplace was situated, answered almost harshly. She gave a quick look at her friend, saw him still staring outside the window, and rolled her eyes in defeat. Then, with a slightly irritated look at Nero, she added, "See? He just won't listen!"

"What are you looking at, anyway?" Curious, Nero finally gave a glance outside the window to see what the man was staring at. And lo and behold, he saw Mary sitting at one of the old benches outside not far from where the trailer was parked, doing something really,... _unusual_. "Oh, this is something new. What's she doing?"

"I saw her taking out a sketchbook from that bag of hers. And she started,... scribbling." The man answered.

"Huh. Really?" Nero scoffed and collapsed at the chair opposite V. "Well, that's something new. At least she's doing something really productive for a change."

"Meaning?" It was V's turn to ask a question.

Ever since he arrived at the location, V couldn't help but feel that there really was something very odd about what was happening. At first, he thought that Nico was only exaggerating things to make him come out of hiding, hysterically saying stuff like Demons appeared here and there, did this and that, and that she needs his knowledge to get to the bottom of this. Now, years of extensive studies on Demonology has taught V that the evil creatures would not appear and wreak havoc on the surface unless they are ordered to do so by a higher, sort of high - ranking, Demon. Or if they are seeking something of utmost value. Regardless, when V arrived, he proved Nico's words to be the truth. Demons did appear here and there and did this and that.

However, he can't say that his knowledge about Demonology is enough to solve this mind - boggling issue about these creatures appearing out of nowhere.

And Mary's odd behavior, and most probably his guilt of wrecking the damn camera, didn't help with the situation, at all.

"You see," Nero began. " ... Mary was - "

"Hey,... " Nico interrupted all of a sudden. The two men both looked at her and saw her pointing at something right outside the window next to her. " ... that's Morrison!"

_Morrison?_ Thought V as the Artisan went out to greet the new visitor,...

_**Shard** _

_It's unmistakable. Marsha heard the girl crying. And she has never even heard or seen the child do so._

_The tall and perfectly poised woman abandoned her knitting and sped towards the living room to see her niece trying to patch up what looked like wounds on her palms with bandages._

_And not just any wound,..._

_"Mary?!" Marsha called. The little girl almost jumped in fear as she heard her name being called and tried to hide her hands behind her back._

_And this only made Marsha even more suspicious._

_The woman sighed, strode closer towards the girl, bent down and grabbed her niece's arms. "You don't hide things from me, young lady!"_

_"But, Marsha, it's nothing!" The girl hopelessly argued, for she knew she was losing. Marsha finds out about everything, and that was a fact._

_But, the older lady was having none of Mary's arguments. Marsha pulled her niece's arms from behind her back, held out her little hands, and saw, in utter fright and disgust, the lashes and blood painting the girl's little palms._

_And the sight infuriated Marsha to the bone._

_The next morning, Mary found Marsha knitting again on her little space in the huge library._

_"I'm going to school." Mary announced with a loud voice over the Doris Day song that was being played on a vintage record atop one of the antique tables next to the shelves to her left. It was Marsha's favorite song._

_And to what Mary just said, the older lady looked up from her handiwork and only raised an eyebrow. Raising her wire - rimmed glasses above her pointed nose, she said, "Oh, you're not going to school today, young lady."_

_Mary furrowed her eyebrows in disbelief. "Why?"_

_"Because, I said so!" The woman answered, her facial expression as stoic as ever. "Now, do come here and keep me company."_

_The little girl, although doubtful of Marsha's decision to not drive her to school that one particular morning, obeyed, putting her bag on the floor next to the iron table and sat across her aunt._

_Looking at the many colorful yarns and several unfinished projects on the table, Mary asked, "How about tomorrow?"_

_"No." Marsha answered, her eyes never leaving her craft. Her answer remained the same for a week that Mary finally took up the courage to pick up one of the green yarns and a pair of darning needles from Marsha's knitting kit._

_And this did not go unnoticed by Marsha, herself. Looking at Mary's freshly bandaged hands, and the needles she's holding, she nodded, and said, "Very well. I could teach you if you want. ONLY if you want."_

_Mary gave a sheepish smile and placed the yarn and the needles back to the basket before her. She, then, took out her sketchbook and some coloring materials from her bag and went on to finish that Venus art she's been working on for a week since Marsha forbade her to come to school._

_It was not until another week when Mary finally found out that Marsha tried to press charges to the school and that awful teacher who gave her those wounds. Getting little to no justice after what happened, Marsha gave up and, instead, had Mary enrolled to a different school that was very far from that accursed place full of bullies, not to mention that devil Burns ( who only received penalties so light it's ridiculous, considering what he's done ) still on the loose and freely roaming about that campus._

_It was also during that time when Mary almost memorized all of Doris Day's songs about love and heartbreak, and how not to question Marsha's decisions ever again._

_**Glitter** _

_" ... please, call me, Mary. I'm so worried about you - "_

With furrowed eyebrows, Mary ended the voicemail from her aunt and made her way back to the trailer where she found, yet, another visitor sitting on a chair across that tall, black - haired man who stepped on Nico's camera.

Stuffing her cellphone back to her pocket, she saw the new visitor standing up and offering his hand to her.

"I'm Morrison." The man graciously introduced himself as he shook Mary's hands. "And you must be Mary Suermann! New accomplice of Nico?"

"Ah, yes, you might say that." Mary answered quietly as she took her hand from his, trying to ignore the fact that she could feel someone staring at her from behind her back. She carefully turned around without having to face V and stood next to the door, seeing that her companions were discussing something.

"So, let me get this straight," Morrison began as he settled back to his chair. " ... strange Demons began appearing randomly in some specific locations in this city? And not just any Demon, you say?"

"Yeah." Nero, who was sitting on the sofa next to V, answered. "Ahh, V, what did you say that Demon's name was, again?"

"Niddhogg." V answered, his low voice sending shivers down Mary's spine. She would never, ever, forget that voice, no. "But it wasn't particularly a Demon. It was a parasite that lives in an evil tree called the Qliphoth, which thrives on Human blood."

"And this Qliphoth tree," Morrison spoke. " ... are there any of those growing around here?"

"If there is,... then this city could very well be done for." V answered, successfully drawing all eyes on him in curiosity. "You see, this,... demonic tree,... grows quite,... let's just say,... **_rapidly_**. But, never mind that. The point is: there should be no Niddhogg if there is no,... Qliphoth,... to begin with."

"Niddhogg,... " Morrison mused as he rubbed his stubble. "I'm not gonna lie with you but, that is the first time I've heard of that thing. I don't even know what that looks like - "

"Exactly why Mary had to take pictures of it!" Nico added, emphasizing on the name like she was some kind of a criminal who committed such atrocious deeds. "Isn't that right, huh Mary?"

With a deep sigh, she took out her sketchbook from her bag, opened it, and handed it to Morrison, who gazed at it with such unmasked awe.

Not that the Demon illustrated in it was such a looker, no.

"Magnificent!" Morrison exclaimed. "Are you the one who drew this, Mary?"

With a little sheepish smile, she nodded, and answered, "Yeah."

Morrison looked up from the sketchbook, held it up for the others to see, and asked, "Is this the one?"

And to this, V's eyes widened for a fraction of a second. It truly was an exact and very detailed drawing of the demonic parasite Niddhogg.

_Who knew this girl had some kind of a hidden talent?_

"Indeed." V answered, a bit of admiration getting past his monotonous voice, which Mary didn't miss.

Nico, who was leaning against her jukebox, took the sketchbook from Morrison's hands and stared at it with widened eyes full of wonder and disbelief. This made Mary smile a bit, and V, who was observing this entire scene, didn't miss the little gesture.

"Whoa. Ya really are an artist!" Nico exclaimed.

"Why?" Nero butted in. "Don't believe her?"

Even before Nico could fire up her own response, Morrison cleared his throat and said, "I want to take a picture of that illustration, if I may. I would show it to my associate in the Devil Hunting business and see if he could crack any sort of thing, _anything_ , regarding this demonic parasite."

Seeing that Morrison's statement was directed at her, Mary nodded, giving her full consent. And as the man began taking photos of her Niddhogg art with his cellphone, Nero asked, "Where were you going, anyway?"

"To the office of the said associate in the Devil Hunting business."

"You mean, Dante?"

"Right you are." Morrison handed the sketchbook back to Mary and placed his cellphone back to his breast pocket. "I have some things to discuss with him. About a man who was found dead in his own house just this morning."

"What happened?" It was V's turn to ask a question.

"Reports say he died of cardiac arrest. Not that big of a deal, to be perfectly honest. Except that this man was linked to the disappearance of a few children in the last decade. There are no sufficient evidence to prove his crimes but, investigations are underway after they found some curious things in his home right after his body was taken."

"And those are?" V pried even further, and it was honestly making Mary a bit nervous.

"Some trinkets and clothes that belong to children. Apparently, they were hidden in a small compartment just behind his fridge. The authorities found the man's body, and some emptied bottles of water, right next to it."

"Maybe they belonged to his kids, or something?" Nero tried to explain.

"Yes, except that this man had no children, or relatives living close by. And the only people he knew were his colleagues in a school he was teaching at. Now, don't you worry about this thing. You have your own problems to deal with. But, just to be sure that my hunches are wrong, I will speak to Dante regarding this - "

"This man," All eyes, including V's, all turned to see Mary looking wide - eyed and horrified as she stood near the door. " ... who was he?"

"His name," Morrison began as he stood up and gathered his things on the table. " ... was Roger Burns. He was a teacher at - "

"I know." Mary heard Nico's little gasp at what she just revealed. "He was my teacher."

"Oh!" Morrison exclaimed and put a hand on Mary's shoulder. "I'm so sorry for the loss of your teacher - "

"Actually, I'm not in the least bit sorry. In fact, he - "

"He?" Morrison and the others waited as Mary held out her hands to show them something. But, then, something made her stop as she somewhat stared in disbelief at her own hands.

V, who stood just in time to see what Mary was looking at, saw nothing but her smooth - looking palms.

"Girl, what are you trying to say?" Nico, who was getting a bit impatient, questioned.

Mary looked up, smiled, and brought her hands down. "Nothing! Just,... _nothing_."

"Alright, then! I'll take my leave. I'll see you around." Morrison, who pretended to not be weirded out by what just happened, tipped his hat and finally left the trailer with more questions than answers.

"Are you alright?" Nero, who placed a hand on Mary's shoulder, kindly asked.

With a smile, she answered, "Never better."

However, V knew that was a lie. Mary was hiding something from them. It was very clear to him. But, what was it?

And why should Mary open up to them in the first place? They wouldn't believe her if she told them that the scar caused by her now dead teacher was all but mysteriously gone!


End file.
